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Placing an Urban Geocache


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I live in Boston and am relatively new to geocaching, so most of my geocaching is done in urban areas. The urban areas are interesting, but with the high traffic the spot usually has to be pretty good and/or maintained often (I see a lot of caches that get taken down). Also, as a searcher I find a lot of what defines a good spot is the muggle quotient. Low muggle areas are usually sketchier and if someone does come around (had a security guard come by) you tend to be the one looking sketchy. High muggle areas obviously make being discreet near impossible and you run the risk of endangering the cache. Plus off hours that might reduce muggles are usually closer to dusk, which of course compounds the issues.

 

As someone who wants to start placing some caches in an urban setting, I was wondering what others might suggest as a way to minimize these types problems, as well as others (short of doing a webcam or virtual type cache).

 

Thanks ahead of time for any ideas.

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As someone who wants to start placing some caches in an urban setting, I was wondering what others might suggest as a way to minimize these types problems, as well as others (short of doing a webcam or virtual type cache).

 

They don't publish those though, but finding a lamp post "skirt" works well. One of those things at the base of lamp poles has plenty of room for a film canister.

 

Also remember, just because people see you find a geocache, doesn't mean they are going to take it. I have even got 1 person interested by telling them what I was doing.

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Make sure to use that Note to reviewer box at the bottom of the listing when you fill it out. Any information about the hide and the location will make the process quicker and smoother.

 

This goes for both urban and non-urban hides, but is particularly useful and helpful for urban ones.

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If I find an object in a really high traffic area that I would like to highlight with a cache, I use some info on the object to provide an offset to the actual cache which would be hidden in a nearby park or lower traffic area.

 

For instance I'm working on a cache now that is at the site of where a famous incident occurred in the Revolutionary War. No way I could put a cache there so I have people go to the plaque there and

ask them to read the last word on the plaque.

 

My page says something like, If the last word on the plaque is aaaa, go to Nxxx.xx.xxx, Wxxx.xx.xxx. If the last word is bbbbb, go to Nyyy.yy.yyy, Wyyy.yy.yyy and if the last word is ccccc, go to nzzz.zz.zzz Wzzz.zz.zzz.

The cache itself will be hidden in a park about 3/4 mile away. The other bogus coords are also for nearby parks so someone who is trying to shortcut the cache by plotting the waypoints and seeing which ones can be eliminated won't be able to do so easily.

 

Another alternative would be to have someone go to the object, the project a waypoint to a nearby park or lower traffic area where you would have the cache.

 

Generally the best way to ensure that the cache will last is to try to make sure that searchers won't easily be observed.

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Also remember, just because people see you find a geocache, doesn't mean they are going to take it. I have even got 1 person interested by telling them what I was doing.

 

I would generally agree with you, even with my limited experience. I have even had bums help out, which is pretty surprising that they didn't muggle the cache. But I've read a number of posts about people really wanting to be discreet for the caches sake, so I figured they must know something I don't if they've been at this longer.

 

Anyways, some great ideas guys. I'm a big fan of the offset idea, it can provide a good puzzle rather than go here and find.

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We have a lot of urban caches in Nashville, many are micro containers hanging in a sign post by a short piece of fishing line. Another common type is a magnetic key holder hidden between a guard rail and its post. One of the best ones I've seen to date was a magnetic keybox that was stuck among the various electrical boxes on a disused and disconnected holtel sign. There are also a large number of "skirt lifters".

 

Magnets are the most useful thing fo hiding urban caches.

 

But wait until you have several finds logged. By then you will be able to spot good hidey-holes at a glance.

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IMO all caches are placed with the intention of providing a FUN experience. The problem is that we all have differing definitions of what is FUN. When I first started hiding some urban micros, I wanted to point out some interesting, local, history.

 

Then I hid a few with no other purpose that to try and make you smile.

 

And then I have a few that exist to make you stop and scratch your head.

 

So as you can see there are a variety of motivations for placing an urban cache.

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I live in Boston and am relatively new to geocaching, so most of my geocaching is done in urban areas. The urban areas are interesting, but with the high traffic the spot usually has to be pretty good and/or maintained often (I see a lot of caches that get taken down). Also, as a searcher I find a lot of what defines a good spot is the muggle quotient. Low muggle areas are usually sketchier and if someone does come around (had a security guard come by) you tend to be the one looking sketchy. High muggle areas obviously make being discreet near impossible and you run the risk of endangering the cache. Plus off hours that might reduce muggles are usually closer to dusk, which of course compounds the issues.

 

As someone who wants to start placing some caches in an urban setting, I was wondering what others might suggest as a way to minimize these types problems, as well as others (short of doing a webcam or virtual type cache).

 

Thanks ahead of time for any ideas.

 

One of the best "Urban" caches I've seen was actually in a rural area. It was a mid sized utility box with a combination lock secured to a pole and the description or hint had clues to the combo.

 

At first glance, it looked right at home! If it's designed in such a way as to not interfere with existing equipment and blends in well enough, it could last a long time.

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As someone who wants to start placing some caches in an urban setting, I was wondering what others might suggest as a way to minimize these types problems, as well as others (short of doing a webcam or virtual type cache).

 

Thanks ahead of time for any ideas.

 

I seem to recall Lite-Brite looking Moonenites went over well a while back. :D

 

Just keep such concerns in mind when hiding in the city. Be careful to consider wether or not the cache container will draw suspicion/fear. Ammo cans and anyhting pipe-bomb looking are right out IMO.

 

And of course, careful choice of hide locations. I know what you're saying about the shetchy low-muggle areas, which as such probably don't have anything interesting to visit anyway. Of course the best sights/sites will likely have a lot more traffic. Ultimately I think micros would work best, but beware the lamppost skirts. You'll undoubtedly catch some flak for it from somebody. Read any of the LPC threads and you'll see what I mean. But a well crafted, well placed micro can work well. I'd sugest checking out the cool cache containers thread. Some great examples of urban camo in there.

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And then I have a few that exist to make you stop and scratch your head.

 

 

Unfortunately, your "scratch" URL doesn't work. Here is the corrected link:

Thanks for catching that, but actually this is the scratch link. You posted the same link as I had for 'your'. And now I'm scratching my head wondering what I did wrong, and since this forum only allows for 24 hour edits I guess I can't figure it out now. Probably a s pa cin g issue.

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Consider a combination lock box.

 

They come in all sizes, shapes and price ranges.

 

Some of these can be attached to most anything.

 

These can be installed anywhere you can get permission.

 

You can publish the combination on the cache listing or make a puzzle out of it if you like to make folks jump through hoops!

 

Muggles aren't a factor, it doesn't matter if they see the cache, they can't take it or get inside!

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You don't have to make your cache a micro to place it in a city. The secret is good camo and urban camo means thinking like an urban object.

 

I placed two caches in Cambridge, one across the river from you. One is gone now but it almost lived two years. The one was was gone was a water bottle on a bike locked to a public bike rack. The bottle was colored in the GC colors and was even labeled with the cache's name. Some pretty experienced cachers didn't find it. (And no, it didn't stick out in the winter, people bike in Cambridge all year round. I used to commute in the snow on my bike, ahhh, to be young and stupid again...)

 

The second cache is still out there, so I won't tell you what the container is. But one cacher actually held it is his hand and put it back, not realizing it was the cache. That cache is disabled now. The container failed after about 2 years and I've not yet replaced it.

 

So, be clever, you'll find great places to put a cache.

 

Paul

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Personally, I think the best part of urban geocaching is to take the searcher to areas of intrest in a particular city. Included in the cache page should be some commentary regarding exactly what is so interesting about the area. Perhaps even a bit of research might be required that teaches searches something about the areas history for example.

 

Altoids tins with attached magnets with a plastic bag protected log works well. It also adds to the fun if a high level of stealth is required.

 

I once located a cache in Detroit that was well disguised as a sprinkler head outide of a well known building. Because it was in a high traffic area, I visited several times without being able to actually retreive and log the cache. Because I work as an electrician, I eventually donned a tool belt and hard hat and approached the cache with tools in hand as if I were working on the sprinklers. None of the passing muggles were any the wiser as I hid signing the logbook by feigning a spinkler repair.

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We recently found a cool hide, it was placed inside a free newspaper bin. There was lots of room up at the top and to the right, so it wasn't disturbed. To muggles it looked like we were getting a paper and acting a little odd :anitongue:

 

Found one just like that in Salt Lake City. The cache container was up out of the way. Cool building, they don't make 'em like that anymore.

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We recently found a cool hide, it was placed inside a free newspaper bin. There was lots of room up at the top and to the right, so it wasn't disturbed. To muggles it looked like we were getting a paper and acting a little odd :rolleyes:

 

Found one just like that in Salt Lake City. The cache container was up out of the way. Cool building, they don't make 'em like that anymore.

 

 

what is a virtual cache?

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what is a virtual cache???????????????????????????

 

A virtual cache is one that isn't there. The co-ordinates simply take you to some interesting spot. To log the find you answer a question that the owner has put on the cache page. The answer can be figured out from something at the site. There can not be any new virtual caches, geocaching.com has discontinued them. But they allow the existing ones to remain.

 

An example of a virtual cache is here

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My best urban hide is in a fence post cap. Hey, the city does very little, if any, maintenance. Their fence post cap was missing, so I bought one of my own. :rolleyes: (Available on-line.) Fence looks a lot better this way! It doesn't fool a lot of geocachers. 54 finds. 4 DNFs. Maybe the screw through the top gives it away. :o Pill bottle inside. Muggle problem can be difficult at times. But most cachers have enjoyed it.

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